Get your first look at our brand-new “Stars” jersey, which players will wear during the 2016-17 season! #PureMagichttps://t.co/h6MJ6sWKGM
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 9, 2016
The Orlando Magic, once owners of one of the NBA’s dopest uniforms, are trying to right their sartorial ship. The history of their insignia will convey a quick lesson: They’ve got a lot of ground to make up after ditching those ’90’s classics and embracing an increasingly bland set of court clothing.
Their newest jersey does little to shake the program their brand is currently riding, but it’s certainly not as offensive as their current grey jerseys. The “Stars” jersey, as this latest make is called, bumps the front-facing player number into a small, high corner and features a basketball aflame with mysterious wizardry — the kind the Magic, who haven’t made the playoffs in several years, wish they actually had — and it has no mention of the team’s name or city on the front. The jersey is…fine.
Basketball twitter’s reaction to this new look, meanwhile, was much less than lukewarm.
https://twitter.com/erivera7/status/763036771873677312
https://twitter.com/Schles21/status/763034405032124416
Finally the real reason Javert threw himself into the Seine https://t.co/WaJAfP5FTM
— Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) August 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/MichaelAFitz/status/763031212722118657
https://twitter.com/theyhatedr/status/763037087792705536
Orlando’s team itself is another issue.
New coach Frank Vogel has his work cut out for him with an oddly constructed roster. Orlando traded for Serge Ibaka this summer, but also signed Bismack Biyombo to a large contract, beckoning questions of how both of those big men will fit with Nikola Vucevic while also leaving room the blossoming young Aaron Gordon to develop at the power forward spot that just might be his calling.
This jersey won’t answer any of those questions.
